Rochester's Garcia 'thankful' to still be on 'The X Factor'

Jennel Garcia doesn't fret when she finishes a live performance on Fox's "The X Factor" only to face withering comments from some of the show's judges.

MATT CAMARA

Jennel Garcia doesn't fret when she finishes a live performance on Fox's "The X Factor" only to face withering comments from some of the show's judges.

"It's not up to them anymore; it's up to the audience now," Garcia, 18, said Monday in a phone interview with The Standard-Times.

The Rochester resident survived the hit reality show's first round of viewer-decided cuts last week to remain among the top 12 contestants. Viewers vote to decide contestants' fates now that the show has whittled the field to a group of finalists, all vying for the prize of a $5 million Sony/Syco record deal.

Garcia's performance last week of Joan Jett & The Blackhearts' "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" drew fire from judges Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid, who criticized it for being unoriginal. Cowell also took aim at how Garcia looked after her recent makeover, describing her as a "clone" of judge — and Garcia's on-show mentor — Demi Lovato.

However, both of the other judges — Britney Spears and Lovato — praised Garcia.

As for that makeover ...

"At first, I really hated it but since then it's grown on me," Garcia said of the wardrobe and makeup changes that took her from bubbly teenager to leather-clad rocker. "It has an edgy quality to it."

The live shows mean contestants have to perform on national television with no room for error. The next night, they get to come back out again to face the voters' will with no forewarning.

"You don't know how to describe it," Garcia said of the stressful the moments before eliminations are announced. "It's scary. You feel your whole life flash before your eyes."

This week, Garcia and her opponents will face off by singing "classic" songs, although she couldn't elaborate any further, she said.

Despite the added stress of performing live in Los Angeles, the energy of the crowd more than makes up for it, the New Bedford High School graduate said.